This Historic Lewiston, Maine, Church Will Become a Brewery

St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Main Street in Lewiston is about to be transformed into a new brewery and restaurant, a complete about-face from what the building was constructed for.

History of St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Let me come right out and say that I don't believe in a higher power that we should gather in a place to worship. However, I can appreciate the architecture that went into building churches in the 1800s.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church was completed in 1867 and was the first Roman Catholic church in the city of Lewiston. As the number of worshipers declined over the past few decades, more and more of these beautiful buildings have been vacated. St. Joseph's closed its doors in 2009 and was almost demolished by the current owners, Central Maine Healthcare, but luckily they had a change of heart.

Chruch to Brewery

According to News Center Maine, CMHC has found a buyer for the church that plans to turn the historic building into a brewery and restaurant.

Democracy Brewing out of Boston plans to begin a construction project this summer with a loan from the City of Lewiston, which thinks this could be the start of something to make Maine Street in Lewiston a more popular destination.

There's a Lot of Space

With 16,000 square feet to work with, Democracy Brewing has a lot planned for the historic church, including an events center for weddings, gatherings, and a restaurant for the whole family.

READ MORE: Maine's 10 Largest Brewers

There's no word yet on a predicted opening date, but keep your eye out to watch this beautiful building keep serving it community for years to come.